


warp and weft

by orphan_account



Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Character Study, Drabble, Gen, Introspection, Light Angst, ship if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:35:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27678845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Merlin wonders what Romani Archaman gained and what he paid for it. Was it worth it? What was it like?Romani is more concerned about stale cake.-a short character study between two individuals, so similar yet so different.
Relationships: Romani Archaman/Merlin | Caster
Comments: 13
Kudos: 47





	warp and weft

It’s quiet for once, at least in the break room that Romani and Merlin situate themselves in. No crises or Rayshifts that need attention _just_ yet. Besides, Da Vinci all but locked them both out of the command room (for very different reasons), so they’re currently persona non grata. It’s not like Merlin minds, of course; the break from farming is always a welcome reprieve, even if he knows that Waver is stuck picking up the slack.

Romani sticks his entire upper body into the fridge, rummaging about. Eventually, he pulls a wrapped piece of cake from the depths of the fridge. With a furrowed brow, he pokes at it; was it still edible? While one hardly needs to worry about food spoilage where they are, Romani can’t remember when he hid this particular bit. When nothing seems amiss, he grabs a fork and digs in.

If he leaves the cake in the fridge any longer, he’ll never have a chance to come get it. To think that his cake would outlast him leaves a bitter taste in his mouth, one that he’s happy to mask with sugar.

Merlin contents himself with watching Romani’s emotions flit across his face. Apprehension, delight, brain-freeze, mild regret, and determination dance through his eyes one by one. Ephemeral, but unapologetic.

Well. He supposes there’s a sort of beauty to that. Even the humblest of flowers are lovely because they’re transitory.

"...mm. Hey, hey, Romani, what's it like?"

Romani lowers his plate of cake, crumbs still on his lips. A question out of the blue? When the magus continues to stare at him expectantly, he places the plate down with a faint _clink_ , frowning. “Wha?”

"You know full well what I’m talking about, even without that Clairvoyance. What's it like now?"

Usually, they banter back and forth, trading oddly specific barbs. Romani might quip "well, wouldn't _you_ like to know," brushing him off with a huff or a sly jab at how he avoids questions too.

But Merlin is quiet this time, violet eyes holding no hint of mischief. There’s just a quiet, vulnerable curiosity, not unlike that of a child. To think Merlin could have _any_ innocence left to him...what a preposterous thought.

But Romani relents. His eyes wander the room in thought, trying to piece together the thousands of fragments that make him _Romani Archaman_ and not a recolor of the Grand Caster.

"Hm. I'm no good with words, but...it's nice."

A derisive snort and a raised eyebrow. " _Nice_? Archaman, surely you can do better than that."

Romani shoots him a glare. "And you should know better than to ask, Merlin. I just told you I’m no good with words. You just want to rub it in!”

His pout is met with a light chuckle. Merlin reaches over and cleans a smudge of icing from the puffed cheek before licking his finger with a wink. Romani just looks vaguely disgusted and sticks another forkful of cake into his mouth.

A heartbeat of silence, then two. Romani turns the ideas over in his head, ponders their weight on his tongue. How does one explain what being human is like to a creature that’s spent uncountable years watching uncountable people?

“You never see the stitches of a tapestry if you're looking from afar, much less feel how tightly everything’s held together," he finally says, voice clear with not an iota of doubt.

Merlin stares into his eyes and gauges the truth of his statements. "So you've become just another stitch."

"Ugh, will you let me finish? _You_ were the one who wanted answers, so shush. Interrupt me again and I'll fork you in th- _fork_! Not what you're thinking, you incorrigible pervert, don’t get the wrong idea!!"

A snicker. The teasing smirk and eyebrow waggle never failed to rile Romani up, how cute. The aforementioned fork is jabbed viciously into his side. Merlin reckons it hurt Romani’s hand more than it hurt him, but being the drama king he is, he plays it up. He feigns a swoon, as if mortally wounded, hand gripping his side. “How cruel! I didn’t even say anything!”

Romani gives him a sideways stare. Just because he’s correct doesn’t mean he’s right.

A companionable silence lapses between the two again, the only sounds in the room being the hum of the fluorescent light and the light clinks of fork hitting plate.

"Yeah, I'm just another stitch. But you know, Merlin, being one average stitch in the tapestry is _nice_. I'm part of something bigger and more beautiful than anything Solomon could see."

Bigger and more beautiful, hm? He might not understand, but he can imagine it, each and every story, be it thread of gold, silver, or just plain linen, woven together tightly. 

Merlin is inclined to agree.

**Author's Note:**

> Goodness me, I'm a bit shy posting something for Fate for the first time. The prompt's probably been beaten to death several times over, but it's been fun! Thanks for reading for whoever comes by!


End file.
